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Elementary Teaching Major

HFA, NSM, AND SSH PEAKS

Students who wish to earn teacher certification for elementary grades K-8 must complete the Elementary Teaching major. This major fulfills the Humanities and Fine Arts (HFA) Peak, the Social Sciences and History (SSH) Peak, and the Natural Sciences and Math (NSM) Peak. In addition, students must complete their Professional Foundations (PFE) Peak.

Students must maintain a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA to qualify for licensure in the state of Idaho. Before student teaching, students must pass their required Praxis exams.

Students should consult with Education Department faculty early in their program to ensure they are on a proper pathway toward licensure.

Major Requirements

92-94 credits

Mathematics (11 credits)

Complete all of the following:

MAT-113Mathematics for Elementary Teachers I

3 credits
MAT-114Mathematics for Elementary Teachers II

2 credits
MAT-115Mathematics for Elementary Teachers III

3 credits
MAT-120The Art of Mathematical Thinking

3 credits

Social Sciences and History (12 credits)

Political Economy (3 credits)

POE-110United States Political Economy

3 credits

American History (3 credits)

Complete one course.
HIS-204History of the Modern U.S.

3 credits
HIS-300The United States Since 1945

3 credits
HIS-301Vast Early America

3 credits
HIS-305The Presence of the Past: Intro to Public Hist

3 credits
HIS-310Jewish History and Culture in the Americas

3 credits

World History (3 credits)

Complete one course.
HIS-100Civ: Origins of the Modern World

3 credits
HIS-219History of Medieval Europe

3 credits
HIS-220History of Modern Europe

3 credits
HIS-225History of Modern Ideas, 1750-1890

3 credits
HIS-226History of Modern Ideas, 1890-2000

3 credits
HIS-34718th-Century Europe: Empires and Modernity

3 credits
HIS-34819th-Century Europe: Revolutions and Empires

3 credits

Latin American, Asian, or Mediterranean History (3 credits)

Complete one course.
HIS-210History of Modern East Asia

3 credits
HIS-230History of Modern Latin America

3 credits
HIS-232Mexicans and Mexican-Americans in the Modern United States

3 credits
HIS-234Twentieth-Century Mexico

3 credits
HIS-328Mythology: Classical Hist and Archaeology

3 credits
HIS-331Ancient Greece

3 credits
HIS-332Ancient Rome

3 credits
HIS-333Jews Under Islam

3 credits
HIS-345Modern China

3 credits
HIS-34920th-Century Europe: Conflict and Unity

3 credits
HIS-358People's Republic of China

3 credits
HIS-364The Life of Jesus: History and Archaeology

3 credits
HIS-376History of Modern Israel/Palestine

3 credits
HIS-377Women and Feminisms in Modern Latin America

3 credits
HIS-380Colonial Latin America

3 credits
HIS-381Indigenous Narratives about the Spanish Conquest

3 credits
HIS-384Modern Japan

3 credits
HIS-388Gender, Race, and Sexuality in Latin America

3 credits

Science (10-12 credits)

Biology (4 credits)

Complete one course and the corresponding lab.

BIO-102Biology of Human Disease

3 credits
BIO-102LBiology of Human Disease Lab

1 credit
BIO-140Idaho Natural History

3 credits
BIO-140LIdaho Natural History Lab

1 credit
BIO-145Drugs, Brains and Behavior

3 credits
BIO-145LDrugs, Brain and Behavior Lab

1 credit
BIO-201Molecules to Cells

3 credits
BIO-201LMolecules to Cells Lab

1 credit

Physics or Chemistry (3-4 credits)

Complete one course and any corresponding lab.

CHE-140Introduction to Chemistry

3 credits
CHE-141General Chemistry I

3 credits
CHE-141LGeneral Chemistry Laboratory I

1 credit
PHY-231General Physics I

3 credits
PHY-231LGeneral Physics I Lab

1 credit

Earth/Space Science or Environmental Studies (3-4 credits)

Complete one course and any corresponding lab.

ENV-101Physical Geology

3 credits
ENV-101LPhysical Geology Lab

1 credit
ENV-150Physical Geography

3 credits
ENV-151Introduction to Human Geography

3 credits
ENV-161Environmental Systems Science

3 credits
ENV-161LEnvironmental Systems Science Lab

1 credit
ENV-201Knowing Birds

3 credits
ENV-202Knowing Land

3 credits
ENV-203Knowing Water

3 credits
PHY-100The Universe

3 credits

English Language Arts (12 credits)

British Literature (3 credits)

ENG-255Topics in Literature—British

3 credits

American Literature (3 credits)

ENG-265Topics in Literature—American

3 credits

Post-Colonial Literature (3 credits)

ENG-275Topics in Literature—Postcolonial

3 credits

Creative Writing (3 credits)

Complete one course.

COM-111Foundations of Journalism: From Guttenberg to Instagram

3 credits
ENG-230Creative Writing—Workshop in Songwriting

3 credits
ENG-240Creative Writing—Workshop in Poetry

3 credits
ENG-250Creative Writing—Workshop in Fiction

3 credits
ENG-260Creative Writing—Craft

3 credits

Elementary Education Core (31 credits)

Complete all of the following:

EDU-202Introduction to Teaching

3 credits
EDU-253Language and Literacy Development

3 credits
EDU-301Foundations of Schooling

3 credits
EDU-304Literacy Assessment and Intervention

3 credits
EDU-305Literacy in Content Areas

4 credits
EDU-306Writing Process and Assessment

3 credits
EDU-430Teaching in a Diverse Society

3 credits
EDU-441Curriculum and Instruction

3 credits
EDU-442Teaching Exceptional Children

3 credits
PSY-201Developmental Psychology

3 credits

Student Teaching (16 credits)

Complete a student-teaching placement in a local school setting.

EDU-471Instructional Methods and Assessment

3 credits
EDU-487Elementary Student Teaching

12 credits
EDU-489Student Teaching Seminar

1 credit

Outcomes

The Learner and Learning

Standard 1: Learner Development. The teacher candidate understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.

Standard 2: Learning Differences. The teacher candidate uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.

Standard 3: Learning Environments. The teacher candidate works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

Content

Standard 4: Content Knowledge. The teacher candidate understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.

Standard 5: Application of Content. The teacher candidate understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues.

Instructional Practice

Standard 6: Assessment. The teacher candidate understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making.

Standard 7: Planning for Instruction. The teacher candidate plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross- disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.

Standard 8: Instructional Strategies. The teacher candidate understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.

Professional Responsibility

Standard 9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice. The teacher candidate engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.

Standard 10: Leadership and Collaboration. The teacher candidate seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.

State Specific Standards

Standard 11: American Indian Tribes in Idaho*. The teacher candidate should be able to distinguish between each of the federally recognized tribes with respect to the retention of their ancestral lands in Idaho: Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, Nez Perce Tribe, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, and the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes. Teacher candidates build capacity in learners to utilize the assets that each learner brings to the learning community based on their backgrounds and experiences. *The federal, state, local, and tribal governments of Idaho recognize the unique inherent self-determination of each tribe. The self-determination of each tribe recognizes Indigenous peoples as peoples, rather than populations or national minorities. The tribes are separate and distinct from each other.

Standard 12: Code of Ethics for Idaho Professional Educators. The teacher candidate understands the Code of Ethics for Idaho Professional Educators and its place in supporting the integrity of the profession.

Standard 13: Digital Technology and Online Learning. The teacher candidate knows how to use digital technology to create lessons and facilitate instruction and assessment in face-to-face, blended, and online learning environments to engage students and enhance learning.